Feb. 18, 1893.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



IBS 



THE TARPON RECORD. 



T FIND in the Jan. 28 issue of Forest and Stream the 

 A following: "The Tarpon Record.— Punta Gorda, Fla., 

 Jan. 34.— On Saturday last Charles A. D?an, of Boston, 

 caught in Charlotte Harhor the largest tarpon ever taken 

 with rod and reel. Its weight was 196^103., its length 

 7ft. lin." 



I saw the same thing a few days ago in the Jacksonville 

 Times-Union, to-day one of my friends, who is an enthu- 

 siastic pursuer of tarpon, and interested in all pertaining 

 to it, sends me a similar clipping from the Philadelphia 

 Times, the dispatch being sent directly from Punta Gorda 

 to that paper. This tarpon record is a matter of in terest 

 to very many fishermen, and there should be no inaccu- 

 racy in reporting the measurement and weight of the 

 fish, and certainly misrepresentation is criminal. 



For several years the fish taken by Mr. Hecksher, which 

 was 6ft. 9 Jin., long, and weighed 184lbs., headed the list 

 of those taken with the rod; and Senator Quay's 7-footer, 

 weighing 187-iIbs.. was the champion of the hand line. 

 Mr. Hecksker's fish held its own until May, 1891, when 

 Mrs. Geo. T. Stagg took a fish at Fort Myers 7ft. lin. long 

 weighing 189-ilbs., and followed it with the champion, 

 7ft."4iin. in length, and 2051b?. in weight. This last fish 

 was measured and weighed in the presence of half the 

 population of the village. The weighing was done on the 

 scales of the steamboat company. Mrs. Stagg made the 

 measurement lfin. less, but I was informed by a gentle- 

 man at Myera that he measured and weighed the fish for 

 his own satisfaction in the absence of the captor, with 

 the above result. 



The objpct of the dispatches sent broadcast as above 

 indicated is of course to boom a fishing resort which has 

 no fish to attract anglers except a few jewfish and an 

 occasional tarpon. The unfortunate phase of it is that it 

 apparently implicates a most upright and honorable gen- 

 tleman as participator in a fraud. When I called his 

 attention to it, inquiring as to the truth of the report, he 

 at once wrote the inclosed letter to Forest and Stream, 

 and also sent a similar communication to the American 

 Angler. 



The facts are these: The fish in question was weighed 

 on a board, and the weight was 2041 bs. After the weigh- 

 ing, and privately, Mr. Dean and a friend weighed the 

 board, and ascertained its weight to be 32lbs. The hotel 

 manager was probably ignorant of this "verification," for 

 he had the board destroyed. 



Forest and Stream 'is open to criticism for publica- 

 tion of this dispatch, for it published a contribution en- 

 titled "Queen of the Rod," when Mrs. Stagg captured 

 her great fish, and also made editorial comment on the 

 feat. F. S. J. C. 



.St. James Cxtt, Fla., Feb. 9. 



Editor Forest and Stream; 



Please correct the statement that I have caught a tarpon 

 weighing 2041 bs. or 1961bs. The fish was I721b3. net, 

 Gft. lOiin, long. Chas, A. Dean. 



THE SIX-INCH TROUT LAW. 



Editor Forest and stream: 



When you opened up this question, asking for opinions 

 pro and con, I thought you were unusually generous 

 and considerate of the class that might be against 

 certain restrictions of the new code, and I hoped, but 

 feared otherwise, many on that side might speak up. It 

 is, I suppose, popular to restrict, and vice versa, so that 

 the poor fellow who likes reasonable liberty and who 

 may be in the great majority, will hesitate to say a word, 

 and simply lie down to be trodden over. The gentleman 

 who favors a 12 tn. limit, and possibly a six weeks open 

 season, can have the floor, however, and somehow claim 

 to have the backing of all that is good, true and beauti- 

 ful. 1 suppose, also, in these days of progress, it will 

 never do to admit the use of any means but the artificial 

 fly in taking trout, although in" the early season bait is 

 almost the only lure of value. 



That there is much of pretense in this claim of exclu- 

 sive use of the fly is well known, and 1 can safely say I 

 never saw a purely fly-fisherman, one that would not 

 yield to temptation when on the ground facing conditions 

 versus theories. My brother fishermen, whom T know in 

 habit, methods and feeling, and whom I think will aver- 

 age well in their class, all do it — in the season referred 

 to. For myself, the use of bait, in itself, never has 

 troubled my conscience; but I have admitted the trouble 

 that comes to me from the great injury to a mass of vic- 

 tims whom I could not claim mine, but must return in a 

 crippled or dying condition to their element. This has 

 driven me from my favorite trout streams and cut off my 

 most cherished pastime. I do not wish to be considered 

 misstating things as to injury to such trout. The injury 

 is too painfully evident to bear contradiction even after 

 the use of great care. Doubtless the artificial fly injures 

 trout less than bait, and perhaps because it is in a degree 

 less harmful the great mass of bait-fishermen are expected 

 to forego their methods and undergo a great reform. 

 Thus there would be a further restriction. Put this in the 

 new law as the next step, 



But restrictions as to size, season and methods seem io 

 me somewhat inconsistent with restocking processes. 

 Our hatcheries turn out annually millions more than are 

 taken by legitimate sportsmen in angling, and yet in con- 

 nection with this immense supply come restraints. Fish, 

 let it be remembered, differ in one respect from all other 

 game, as they can be reproduced, and that ad infinitum. 



I have wondered if much of the trouble was in the 

 markets? Now, what cares a trout fisherman for a mar- 

 ket? What genuine sportsman ever sold a trout? If there 

 ia trouble here, why cannot fishermen arise en masse and 

 cry it down? As an illustration how this may have 

 much to do with a scarcity of trout, if scarcity is com- 

 plained of, I have found on Red field streams numerous 

 men fishing especially for market. They camped on the 

 streams, stayed there days and weeks, were seclusive and 

 even troublesome to chance sportsmen that happened on 

 their grounds. At Sandy Creek and other stations I have 

 seen their spoils packed and labeled for market. This 

 business can be stopped, I suppose, as shippiug venison 

 to market has been stopped, and I prefer means such as 

 this to the taboo I find on much of my enjoyment to the 

 territory. 



I would also limit the catch of any fisherman if neces- 

 sary or considered beneficial. I think — and few will ven- 

 ture to deny this, I judge — that if we all considered the 

 privilege of fishing in April, and are allowed to go some- 



what below 6in. in length, there will still be trout. If 

 there are not enough our hands can go into our pockets 

 for a fresh supply from the outside. That streams have 

 held good under such conditions all that can remember 

 back ten or fifteen years well know. Let the restrictive 

 mania as to trouting be checked somewhere, say I. 



Protester No. 1. 



Ohio River Netted to Death.— Your issue of Feb. 4 

 contained an article and an editorial in reference to the 

 destruction of game and fish in Florida. Other parts of 

 the country suffer from the same cause. The Ohio River 

 is an example. Seining and netting are allowed to go 

 on every month in the'year, without the least interfer- 

 ence. It might be asked, Can this evil be eradicated? 

 Nowadays it is practically of no use to fish in the river 

 with rod and reel, or even with a hand line, a,s the fish 

 are removed by seines or nets. The sportsman is thus 

 saved the trouble of waiting until he catches "this one 

 and one more" before he has two. I would like to hear 

 what others may have to say on this subject. — E. M. D. 



Aluminum Reels.— Los Angeles, Cal., Jan. 29.— .Edi- 

 tor Forest and Stream: I desire to approve the sentiments 

 expressed by "Von W." in your issue of Jan. 14 anent 

 aluminum. Why do they not give us aluminum fishing 

 reel.-? I have seen a few single-action trout reels of that 

 metal, but the price asked for them was outrageous. The 

 Henshall-Van Antwerp bass reel, for instance, or the 

 Abbie & Imbrie "steel pivot" reel, would surely be dan- 

 dies if made of the new material. I should think it 

 would be particularly available for the large reels for 

 tarpon fishing, etc., where there is so much objection to 

 the great weight. Let us have aluminum multipliers 

 and at reasonable prices. — W. R. M. 



sgfislfcnltnrq. 



NEW YORK FISH COMMISSION.— At the meeting of 

 the Fish Commissioners on Thursday last Messrs. Hunting- 

 ton, Joline and Hackney were present. Applications for 

 trout called, for a distribucion of 15,000,000 fry; but as the 

 total stock in the hatcheries is a little less than 5,000,000 

 there must be extensive cutting down in the allotments. 

 The brook trout and brown trout have been assigned chiefly 

 to the counties of Delaware, Frankliu and Sullivan, the lar- 

 gest shares of try going to the Delaware and Hudson Canal, 

 Ontario & Western and the Rome, Watertown & Ogdens- 

 burg railroads. The Commissioners desire to secure an in- 

 crease of the appropriation to $34,000 annually, including 

 the amount of §1,500 for the hatching apparatus in the fish 

 transportation car. 



Dogs: TJieir Management and Treatment in Disease. By 

 Ashmont. Price $2. Kennel Record and Account Book. 

 Price $8. Training vs. BreaMng. By S. T. Hammond. 

 Price $1. First Lessons in Dog Training, with Points oi 

 all Breeds. Price 50 cents. 



FIXTURES. 



DOG SHOWS. 



Feb. 16 to 10.— Second Annual Show of the Central City Kennel, 

 Jackson, Mich. Chas. H. RuhJ, Sec'y. 



Feb. 23 to 26.— Sixieenfh Annual Dog Show of the Westminster 

 Kennel Club, at. New York. James Mortimer, Supt. 



March 1 to 4.— First Dog Show of the Keystone Kennel Club at 

 Philadelphia, Pa. 



March 8 to 11.— Washington City Kennel Club, Washington, D. 

 C. Fred. S. Webster, Sec'y, 738 Broadway, New York. 



March 15 to 18.— Second Annual Dog Show of the Duquesne 

 Kennel Club, at Pittsburgh, Pa. W. E. Littell, Sec'y. 



April G to 9— Seventh Annual Dog Show of the New England 

 Kennel Club, at Boston. Mass. E. H. Moore, Sec'y. 



April 13 ro 16.— Third Annual Dog Show of the Continental 

 Kennel Club, at Denver, Col. R. W. Isenthal, Sec'y. 



April 20 to 23.— Fourth Annual Dog Show of the Southern Cali- 

 fornia Kennel Club, at Los Angeles, Cal. C. A. Sumner, Sec'y. 



May 4 to 7 —Annual Dog Show of the California Kennel Club, 

 at San Francisco Cal. Frank J. Silvey. Sec'y. 



Entries for Keystone Kennel Club's show 

 close Friday, Feb. 1 9, with James Watson, 

 Box 770, Philadelphia, Pa. 



OUR NEW YORK REPORT. 



TT gives us great pleasure to announce that we have 

 arranged with Mr. George Raper, of Wincobank, 

 Sheffield, EDg., for a report on all the classes judged by 

 him at the New York show. 



As Mr. Raper is conceded to he the best all-round judge 

 and show reporter living, his description of the dogs at 

 New York will be a piece of work which no one interested 

 on the subject can afford to miss. 



No pains will be spared to make the Forest and Stream 

 report of the New York show in every respect worthy of the 

 occasion and of the paper. 



CHICAGO DOG SHOW. 



WE should like to be able to chronicle a success in every 

 way for the Mascoutah Kennel Club's third annual 

 dog show, but we are unable to do so. The most pleasing 

 part of it was the attendance. This as usual was all that 

 could be desired, and I believe was larger even than last 

 year. The club is still seriously handicapped by inadequate 

 buildings. The judges chosen did not on the whole prove 

 entirely satisfactory. Of course they never do, but there 

 seemed to be more genuine kicking than at any show of 

 similar standing I remember attending. As a consequence 

 of this kicking in one or two cases previous awards were 

 changed, and others would have liked to have dene so when 

 they saw the dogs after. This is not the proper way, but I 

 shall have more to say on this and other subjects in "Dog 

 Chat," wherein future the usual introductory notes on this 

 and future dog shows will be found, believing that compar- 

 atively few take the trouble to read a whole report through 

 and so very often many interesting occurrences are lost to 

 the general run of dogrnen. The judges were as follows: 



St. Bernards, R. J. Sawyer; mastiffs, Newfoundlands, 

 fox-terriers, bulldogs, bull, Welsh, Clydesdale, Bedlington 

 terriers and Dachshunde, Harry L. Goodman; Great Danes, 

 H. C. Haeffner; Russian wolfhounds, deerhounds, grey- 

 hounds and whippets, Roger D. Williams; Boston terriers, 

 J. W. Newman; English setters, P. H. Bryson; collies, John 

 A. Long; Irish and Gordon setters, cocker, Clumber and 



field spaniels, foxhounds, beagles, and bloodhounds, black 

 and tan, Irish, Scotch, Skye and Daudie Dinmont terriers, 

 John Davidson; pugs and toys. Yorkshire terriers. King 

 Charles and Blenheim spaniels, poodles and Italian grey- 

 hounds, Dr. M. H. Cryer; pointers, Chesapeake Bays, Irish 

 water spaniels and miscellaneous, Tim Donoghue. R. J. 

 Withers, M.D , V.S., was the veterinarian, but we heard 

 that many of the dogs went in without being identified or 

 examined, and several cases of skin disease that could be 

 seen would lead one to suppose this to be true. 



The judging, as stated in Forest and Stream last week, 

 was much delayed on account of the benching not being 

 ready, and judges were still making awards of specials on 

 Thursday and Friday morning. 



Mastiffs.— The Western breeders have some good indi- 

 vidual specimens, and such breeders as Mr. Bunns and 

 others have struck the right sort of short-headed ones, but 

 the E^st will supply the general winners for another year or 

 two. Ormonde and Sears' Monarch met in the challenge 

 class. It is a near thing between them, but the former's 

 better skull and body outset his bad tail and rather weak 

 pasterns. The winner in open does is well known — Elkson; 

 he is much improved and in skull and body beat Welling- 

 ton, but these two I thought could have exchanged places 

 with Cardinal Beaufort, who beats in general type, size and 

 carriage of stern; Wellington has an immense skull for his 

 muzzle; Edric, fourth, is cowhocked and might carry his 

 ears better. Cyrus, reserve, gained his high mark by his 

 good body and legs, as bis type of head is out of fashion. 

 Among the vhc. dogs I did not find a good one: Nero is 

 leggy and houudlike, Webster Judge's head is too long, 

 and the. best of the he. dogs was Stanley, who is, how- 

 ever, too small. Hector did not deserve notice and Ilford 

 Caution III. is of the long type of head. The bitch class was 

 small, only five. The winner, Sinaloa, has a good head, 

 pasterns faulty, nice body, etc. Ilford Cameo, second, is 

 small, light bone, weak in muzzle, but good legs and body; 

 Matella drops behind the shoulder, head of good shape but 

 not massive enough; Mai Chancellor, fourth, has a plain 

 head; Melrose Portia I liked as well as any of them, barring 

 condition — suckling a litter in the show, sad to relate — her 

 head is good, if a bit narrow, and she has a well made body 

 and good legs. Puppies were numerous. In dogs, Sraosha, 

 by Beaufort, had been sold and removed before I saw it, but 

 the second winner, Prince Cola, must have hustled him. 

 Chocolate-colored markings detract from his appearance, 

 still he is a finely made dog, splendid legs, good body, and 

 head very much like C. O. D.'s, but a trifle longer and may 

 be a little narrower, nice wrinkle and showed lots of quality; 

 would have pushed them in the open class. Ilford Date's, 

 he, had a very bad head, ears carried wide; Stanley, vhc, is 

 a better one. Dan, reserve, I did not see; the others were 

 small and most of them by Ormonde and quite promising. 

 The awards in bitch puppies followed the open class in the 

 money. Countess von Moltke, reserve, is weak-faced; best 

 part is her body. Others were small. 



Great Danes.— Type in this breed is still mixed and win- 

 ners were not consistent. In numbers an advance has been 

 made. This was the banner kicking center and faction 

 spirit ran high. All doginen should deprecate this sort of 

 thing, it serves no good and only results in disruption and 

 abandonment of the breed by those who otherwise would 

 make useful members of dogdom. Imperator and Melac 

 furnished an inexhaustible subject of discussion. Melac 

 has the fewer faults, and while'his head is a little heavy, 

 still his grand body, legs and general cai-riage is preferred 

 by many to Imperator's. Imperator's skull is too mastiffy 

 —but it's all a question of type, greyhound build or mastiff. 

 Irene, looking well, furnished the winner in the challenge 

 bitch class. In open dogs type was all over the benches. 

 The well-known Favor furnished the winner, beating Roland 

 in head and neck. Brutus has a sour head, but stands on 

 good legs. Hans, fourth, is good type, well-shaped head, 

 rather throaty. Caesar, vhc, is faulty in head, but actively 

 made. Fritz is plain in head, not quite right in forelegs-. 

 Tyrus, barring his snipy muzzle, is well formed and might 

 have been higher up. Pedro, that received nothing, should 

 have been in the money, head fair, legs and body very good. 

 The winning ribbon in the bitch class fell to the Wolverine 

 Kennel again with Ultimo, well-known. Ulma II., shown 

 too fat, came second. Nora, third, was in the rings some- 

 where when I came round. Eris, fourth, is short-headed 

 and small. Minerva's Pawn, vhc, should have had a much 

 better position, for barring muzzle she is a good one, but 

 more on greyhound build. There was nothing very striking 

 in puppies, Tyrus getting second. Uncas, third, is a bad 

 one. Tiger, fourth, is too long in muzzle. Mr. Nichols's 

 three dogs were not mentioned, they were as good as any in 

 the class nevertheless, excellent size and bone. Ultima was 

 the winner in bitch pups and Charmion, nice head and legs, 

 deserved her win. Victoria and Blanka came next; the latter 

 was marked fourth but there were only three prizes; Blanka 

 was much the best. Bonnie T. is faulty in muzzle and 

 stifles. From what I could gather and what was written in 

 the daily papers there is likely to be considerable unpleas- 

 ant exposing iu connection with some phases of the judg- 

 ing, but more on this point will be told in "Dog Chat." 



St Bernards. — As usual, these classes furnished an in- 

 teresting exhibit, and classes were excellently well filled. 

 Mr. Sawyer's first appearance showed him a careful judge, 

 but un familiarity with so many dogs iu one ring rather 

 rattled him at times. Lothario, a very good little typical 

 dog, was quite overlooked in the general orders. In chal- 

 lenge dogs, Plinlimmon, Jr., was alone, and looked well; 

 Manon, of the same kennel (Wyoming), furnished the 

 winner in the corresponding class in the abseuce of Lady 

 Livingstone. In open dogs Aristocrat, still out of coat, I 

 thought rather lucky in winning from Jim Blaine, whose 

 well-formed head is superior, excepting in expression, which 

 is slightly marred by different colored eyes, his great bone 

 and good legs are very noticeable, he droops a little in back. 

 Aristocrat, depends so much on his coat that it is unfair to 

 show him now. Beausire is another good dog with excellent 

 understandings, a well-shaped massive head, good markings, 

 wants more rib and is a little straight behind, pasterns could 

 be better and he should stand freer at elbow. Pernwood 

 Bruce, fourth, was one of the disappointed ones, he is very 

 handsome; beautiful coat, but lacks massiveness in skull for 

 his muzzle, is fiat-ribbed, good legs and feet, but tail curls 

 far too much. Lord Wilton, barring his head, has few 

 faults, has a good body and fair head, is of good size, feet 

 could be truer, but bone and limbs O. K. The plain-headed 

 Burns came next, he is well known and was placed about 

 right. Lothario, with whom — wheu you have said he is small 

 —little fault can be found, was not noticed till after the 

 judging, but he got three letters. This must have been a 

 most difficult class to judge, as the ring was none too large 

 and 23 dogs were shown. Othello is another good dog, fully 

 reported on in Fokest and Stream before, The long-headed 

 Kinglimmon, light in flesh, took an he., and was the best of 

 that division. The others require no further mention. In 

 bitches, the much-talk ed-of Hepsey was a nice winner 

 at the first time of asking, her good legs and feet and roomy 

 body being noticeable features, her skull is not full enough 

 for depth of muzzle, and her light orange is somewhat 

 against her, hut her head markings are beautiful, she is out 

 of coat and hocks might be better— throw in a trifle. Guess 

 Noble, second, is another good bitch, and Mr. Reick made a 

 bargain before the judging by securing her for 8250. She is 

 a bit deficient in muzzle, but her grand skull and body ? 

 legs and feet, will always find favor, but am afraid she will 

 be more of a smooth than a good rough. Alton ette and Lady 

 Adelaide furnished the next places in the order named, and 

 both of them I have written up or down before. Lady 



